GSP vs. Thiago Alves

No way dude, i saw them both up close and standing next to each other at ufc 94 and alves is a lot bigger. GSP is barely taller than alves but alves has way more mass. As for GSP's striking being better... thats up for debate. IMO alves has much more power behind his strikes and will probably win this fight by KO or TKO unless GSP can get him to the ground quick. Alves has improved his sprawl a lot and GSP may have more difficulty taking down an opponent that is bigger than him (not saying he will, just saying thats a possibility). GSP needs to score big TDs off the leg kicks if he wants to win this fight, but even when he does it will be hard to keep Thiago there for long.

bls1919

2/15/09 6:38:42PM

Posted by loller90278

i'm sure the gameplan against alves will be effective. clinch with him and get him tired, and then finish him off in the 3rd or 4th.

i really feel that alves is overrated.

Are you seriously saying that GSP clinch with Alves. Ask Karo and Hughes how Alves' clinch is. It's probably the best part of his stand up. GSP better hope to hell he stays out of the clinch and can get him down and on top to GnP. I am on the fence for a winner in this fight. GSP impressed the hell out of me in the BJ fight. Alves needs to hook up with strikes early and take him out.

EvenFlow

2/15/09 7:16:33PM

Just know this people, Thiago is not BJ, this fight will be completely different. If GSP cannot get him down the fight is already over, and I dont think he can get him down if Koscheck, Karo and Hughes couldnt and if they ever did it was not for long. The Koscheck fights should be the fights that everyone looks at for thsi matchup, Kos took GSP down and Kos couldnt take Alves down, see the picture?

mkiv9secsupra

2/15/09 9:33:47PM

Posted by EvenFlow

Just know this people, Thiago is not BJ, this fight will be completely different.

Exactly....BJ is a much more accomplished and better striker and grappler and has a better sprawl.... didnt work for him either.....

EvenFlow

2/15/09 10:20:41PM

Posted by mkiv9secsupra

Posted by EvenFlow

Just know this people, Thiago is not BJ, this fight will be completely different.

Exactly....BJ is a much more accomplished and better striker and grappler and has a better sprawl.... didnt work for him either.....

Better striker and better sprawl? we'll see.

cmill21

2/15/09 10:46:33PM

Posted by EvenFlow

Posted by mkiv9secsupra

Posted by EvenFlow

Just know this people, Thiago is not BJ, this fight will be completely different.

Exactly....BJ is a much more accomplished and better striker and grappler and has a better sprawl.... didnt work for him either.....

Better striker and better sprawl? we'll see.

I might agree with the sprawl but more accomplished and better striker?

gartface

2/15/09 11:18:57PM

Posted by cmill21

Posted by EvenFlow

Posted by mkiv9secsupra

Posted by EvenFlow

Just know this people, Thiago is not BJ, this fight will be completely different.

Exactly....BJ is a much more accomplished and better striker and grappler and has a better sprawl.... didnt work for him either.....

Better striker and better sprawl? we'll see.

I might agree with the sprawl but more accomplished and better striker?

They're two completely different strikers...it's apples to oranges.

gsquat

2/15/09 11:25:39PM

They are two entirely different strikers. GSP is more technical, but thats not to suggest that Alves isn't. He just puts more power into his shots. GSP will look to take this fight to the ground GUARANTEED. If he can he'll end it with some GnP or a sub.

jakeiceman

2/16/09 12:12:02AM

My record has been garbage this season because I keep choosing to pick against people that I probably shouldnt (shut up qsquat ) and GSP has been one of them.

I might be crazy but I dont think this fight is even going to be competitive, I think GSP is going to have his way with him however he wants it and I am so anti-St. Pierre that its not even funny.

GSP will rag doll Alves in my opinion. He will be throwin him around cave man style.

Count it

State_Champ

2/16/09 2:44:21AM

i have thought for a while that Alves will be the biggest challenge for st. pierre. i hope gsp can win in a decisive fashion.

Rush

7/2/09 7:36:45PM

I think it is due to push this thread to the top.

My 2 cents... well for the most part, most of the dramatic points I was going to make have been said somewhere in these pages so I'll be brief.

I think this will be the toughest fight for GSP so far. However, the last time I thought this (vs. Fitch) he really impressed me and I hope he can do it again.

I am looking at this fight through Alves' strengths and weaknesses (as opposed to Georges')

Alves' weaknesses -

His cardio. We all know he is a really big WW and the weight cut may or may not be too much for him to go past 3 rounds. I know he went 3 rounds with Koscheck, but I think he beat Josh up so much in the first two, that Alves was pushing the pace in the third, so I don't think it is necessarily the same story. I am pretty sure Georges will pressure him constantly.

His ground game. I am basing this off of the fact that he is indeed a striker with limited BJJ experience. I think is Georges can get him down in the first/second, we will see a stoppage or sub in said rounds.... the problem I think will be getting him down.

Alves' strengths-

He is a big and strong WW. Personally I think this aspect makes his takedown defense look a little better than it is. Regardless, he will not be easy to drag down to the mat unless he is tired. Georges will have to set up his shots to score the takedowns. I know he can do this, but the question is will he do it without getting hit.

His striking is dangerous. I have no doubt in my mind that if he connects with a solid shot, it is pretty much over for Georges.

All in all I think the way for Georges to win this is to avoid Alves' striking and wear him down for 2 or 3 rounds. It should be easy after that to get a UD or finish him late in the fight.

Franklinfan47

7/3/09 5:55:00PM

Alves striking power makes him a dangerous opponent for any welterweight but I think GSP will utilize his superior wrestling and brutal GnP to secure a a tko victory here, probably sooner in the fight rather than later.

WAR GSP

slapshot

7/5/09 4:50:04PM

Posted by PookieFitch Didnt destroy Alves, Alves was winning the fight and got caught by an upkick. Or maybe the drugs have finally started to catch up with my brain not quite sure anymore.

I would say being dominated on the ground for two rounds, dropped and finished is getting destroyed, No Alves was not winning that fight he was clearly losing by a wide margin. Fitch just manhandled him the entire fight.

Fitch took Alves down at will, I find it hard to believe GSP will have any issues with taking Alves down as he has took fighters down with much better TDD.

P.S. Alves has some good BJJ, I dont know if he can catch GSP but it is a threat from the guard.

scobac

7/6/09 10:45:24AM

I dont think alves is going to even make this fight competitive. I think it will take more than a one trick pony to take apart a top ranked p4p fighter. Sure he has a chance to catch gsp, but it seems alot like bringing knife to a gun fight.

State_Champ

7/9/09 8:38:11AM

Posted by scobac

I dont think alves is going to even make this fight competitive. I think it will take more than a one trick pony to take apart a top ranked p4p fighter. Sure he has a chance to catch gsp, but it seems alot like bringing knife to a gun fight.

It's true that Alves doesn't seem to be as good on the ground as St. Pierre, or as quick, or as versatile in general. St. Pierre may have the better wrestling and a great strategy but Alves can always KO his opponent and he has bullet-proof TDD.

Maybe GSP will steamroll Alves like he has been doing to a lot of fighters recently, but I certainly won't count Alves out.

GSP by round 4 TKO maybe?

NatedawgThaM

7/9/09 11:31:56AM

I think GSP is going to kick his ass no matter what. He could definitely whoop his ass on the feet too. Lytle gave Thiago hell and would have won if it wasnt for the cut, imagine a much more athletic versatile striker. Yeah Alves showed great defense against Kos's takedown, but Kos was in that fight until the very end holding his own on the feet, he didnt win the rounds but the fight was always a war and competitive.

I see this fight only going two ways, with GSP dominating at will taking him down and even landing good shots on the feet until he eventually puts Alves away with some relentless GNP for a TKO stoppage I believe, or GSP will be whooping his ass with GNP the whole fight until Alves rocks him with a hard strike and finishes him like Serra. Just think the GSP scenario is more likely. I've found every single little reason to pick against GSP and hes always shown me up, so im tired of losing points, I got GSP in this one haha.

fonduktoe

7/9/09 11:49:06PM

pretty sure gsp is just gonna use his "i just got shot out of a cannon" takedown to keep alves on his back and control him for a possible tko in the later rounds or a one-sided decisiongsp hasn't been standing and trading with fighters much since the serra loss and since he repeatedly took down opponents whose strong suit is their ground game (fitch, penn, serra, hughes) i doubt he'll all of the sudden choose to stand with a muay thai badasseven if alves sprawls like his crotch is on fire i'll bet we still find him on his back for most of the fight

Macheetah

7/10/09 12:59:04AM

This has the potential to be another GSP/Serra. It has the highest possibility of being the upset of the night. I have decided to give you guys the way I believe the fight will play out...

I keep going back and forth between the two, but I believe in Alves alot more than I do GSP. Right now GSP is the heavy favorite, and polls are looking like they did before he got knocked out by Serra. After watching interviews, press conference, etc. Alves also seems to be alot more serious about this than GSP.

Alot of people give GSP more credit than deserved for his wrestling ability. Alves wasn't taken down by Hughes or Koscheck, and they are no joke when it comes to wrestling ability. Sure, GSP has great wrestling ability, but I don't believe it is better than Hughes. Hear me out on this, whenever GSP has gone for a takedown his opponent has been off balance and/or coming off of an attack. When he can't do that, he goes to the clinch to work the takedown from there. As far as doubles and singles go, GSP is no top tier wrestler.

As far as Alves, he has without a doubt been working on his takedown defense and always throws something when someone gets anywhere close to him. Watch his fight with Koscheck, he is great at stopping takedowns against the cage. But let's get to the fight... The key to victory for Alves here is...

Leg kicks. Yep, in round one leg kicks will soften GSP up and he will lose his ability to use his takedowns at will. Alves will give him the first round and will feel him out, throwing the occasional leg kick, while GSP attemps to take him down and uses up more of his gas tank than he should. GSP will probably catch a leg kick or go after Alves after he throws a kick and will take him down, but Alves will stay patient and get right back up, or just let him use his energy.

Second round, Alves will come out with a good pace, picking his shots and throwing combo's when GSP gets close and attemps to clinch, etc. chances are GSP will go for the clinch because going for a takedown is out of the question, GSP simply will not win the clinch game against the cage, Alves will out muscle him 9 out of 10 times.

Third round, GSP comes out and simply gets impatient. He makes a dumb mistake, shoots in or goes for a clinch, Alves catches him with a knee or an uppercut, dropping him, and then goes in for the kill and a KO/TKO victory.

New UFC Welterweight champion, Thiago Alves.

... But that's just me, if you are a GSP supporter, I believe his keys to success are staying patient and weathering the early storm, waiting on Thiago's gas tank to start giving out, opening things up for him late in the fight. I know that Thiago won't give up easily, which is why I think that if GSP does win the fight, it will be by UD. If not that, he will catch Alves in a surprise Sub sometime in the fourth or fifth.

War Alves though, damnit. Don't give in to the favorite, don't play it safe, MMA is an unpredictable sport, and the majority have been proven wrong somewhere in every event.

fonduktoe

7/10/09 1:51:42AM

gsp is a better wrestler than hughes simply because he is the better athlete (hughes said so himself after his second loss to gsp).i WANT this fight to be a great contest but mark my words... gsp will take thiago down at will and control him for the majority of the fight

Macheetah

7/10/09 1:59:37AM

Posted by fonduktoe

gsp is a better wrestler than hughes simply because he is the better athlete (hughes said so himself after his second loss to gsp).i WANT this fight to be a great contest but mark my words... gsp will take thiago down at will and control him for the majority of the fight

We can agree to disagree, I think that GSP will be punished when he tries to take Thiago down, and won't be able to do so at "will" There is no controlling Thiago Alves.

Alves is no longer an underdog by the way...

Rush

7/10/09 7:21:30AM

Posted by Macheetah

This has the potential to be another GSP/Serra. It has the highest possibility of being the upset of the night. I have decided to give you guys the way I believe the fight will play out...

Alot of people give GSP more credit than deserved for his wrestling ability. Alves wasn't taken down by Hughes or Koscheck, and they are no joke when it comes to wrestling ability. Sure, GSP has great wrestling ability, but I don't believe it is better than Hughes. Hear me out on this, whenever GSP has gone for a takedown his opponent has been off balance and/or coming off of an attack. When he can't do that, he goes to the clinch to work the takedown from there. As far as doubles and singles go, GSP is no top tier wrestler.

I don't see it to be another Serra-GSP because GSP is prepared and 100%. That being said, if Alves wins, he totally earned it both prior and during the fight.

Regarding GSPs wrestling. What makes GSP's wrestling so much better than Koscheck's and Hughes' is that the sets it up so well with his striking. He doesn't just drop into a single leg when he's in a clinch. That would be foolish to do with Thiago who has a pretty good clinch. I wouldn't put too much into Hughes not taking Alves down considering the trouble he has with taking Serra down.

I see Georges taking Alves down as he is chambering for a big kick or after missing a big kick. Once GSP shows Alves that his kicks will get him into trouble, I think Alves will fold. That is my prediction for the game plan Jackson has with GSP. We'll see if I am right and if it works.

cowcatcher

7/10/09 9:35:44AM

i was going to say something similar to rush. gsp has such a great shot because he IS a great striker and his opponents have to respect that. he dismantled kos who is probably the best pure wrestler at 170 because kos was worried about eating a kick or punch. that fight made kos look like an ammy, and proved that gsp's wrestling is at or near the top in all of mma. its been said before but there is wrestling, and then there is wrestling for mma, and thats where gsp excels.

emfleek

7/10/09 9:45:47AM

Posted by Macheetah

I keep going back and forth between the two, but I believe in Alves alot more than I do GSP.

I'm sorry, but I just can't see how you can say this. Care to explain why you believe in Alves more than you do GSP? What has Alves done that makes you think this? GSP has shown me way more than Alves ever has.

I'm not trying to call you out or be a dick by any means. I'm just really curious as to why you believe in Alves more than GSP.

mkiv9secsupra

7/10/09 11:28:47AM

Posted by MacheetahAlot of people give GSP more credit than deserved for his wrestling ability. whenever GSP has gone for a takedown his opponent has been off balance and/or coming off of an attack.

I was under the impression that this is the perfect opportunity to go for takedowns......

DCRage

7/10/09 12:58:55PM

Yes, that is an unusually large elbow GSP has been sporting lately going into the fight. (It was this GIF or a better picture form Wednesday, but it would have to include Mark Coleman)

emfleek

7/10/09 1:12:23PM

Does it really look much different than it did in the BJ fight?

emfleek

7/10/09 2:07:25PM

From BloodyElbow (who took it from the UG)

It's bursitis, it's hilarious that with so many f**king elite so called active training members on this forum that you can't recognize a very common injury.

It's not even serious in the context of a title fight. Everyone fights injured, that's minor **** in the grand scheme. The truth is it's not an injury that effects your performance really, not once the adrenaline hits.

All of these guys go through rigorous training camps, that's a simple lump, it really is and it's not in a horrible spot. Once he is warmed up and ready to go it will be a non factor, quit making excuses in advance. GSP will most likely win regardless, but if he loses it's because Alves is a better fighter.

placente

7/10/09 5:18:49PM

Everybody is a different fighter, not cuz Kos coulnd take alves down, or coulnd keep him down, does not mean GSP can't do it everybody is different. Alves has some good MT, he can catch anybody and knock them out, so dont count alves out, i think this is gonna b a good fight, they are both young and powerful. To me it comes down to srategy, who can impose it well and frustrate the other.

JimiMak

7/10/09 5:37:07PM

Hopefully Alves destroys in this fight. GSP is overrated and hopefully we'll see that Saturday.

Rush

7/10/09 6:31:19PM

Posted by JimiMak

Hopefully Alves destroys in this fight. GSP is overrated and hopefully we'll see that Saturday.

Hopefully GSP wins and you will continue to be disappointed that his overratedness will not be apparent to the rest of us.

I have a question. How many guys does he have to pwn before he convinces you that he is not overrated?